West Indies peg back Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim plays a shot during the second day of the second Test match against the West Indies at the Queen’s Park Stadium Complex in St George’s, Grenada, on Saturday.

PHOTO: AP

A day that promised much for Bangladesh ended with the West Indies 56 for one in their second innings and leading by 61, after impressive bowling from Kemar Roach kept the hosts in the second and final Test on Saturday.

Bangladesh were dismissed for 232, replying to West Indies first innings total of 237, with Roach finishing with the flattering figures of six wickets for 48 runs from 23.5 overs on the second day of the Test at the Queen’s Park Stadium Complex.

“It was a fine performance, a magical moment for me,” Roach said. “I have a passion for West Indies cricket. I wanted to play for the West Indies. It was always my dream and I am glad to have been given this chance, and to be here.”

“I think I can live up to the expectations which people have for me,” he said. “I think I have a lot more of these performances left in me. I want to prove to people it’s not just luck or chance of doing well early, but I want to do it throughout my career, and the only way to prove it is through taking wickets.”

“I put a lot more effort into my bowling [on Saturday] and bowled a few more short balls, because I realized that they were worrying the Bangladeshis,” he said. “It was more about bowling smart — doing the right things at the right time. We now have a really good chance of winning this Test match and squaring the series, and I am confident that the guys will get the job done.”

In an hour-and-a-half before the close, Shakib Al Hasan managed to scalp opener Dale Richards leg before wicket for 12 to set the West Indies back, but Bangladesh missed a chance to tighten the noose when Tamim Iqbal put down Travis Dowlin on nought at slip off Mahmudullah.

However, every time Bangladesh seemed to be fortifying their position in the match, the West Indies would fight back with Roach taking a leading role, after the Tigers continued from their overnight total of 35 without loss.

They came under pressure early and slid to 134 for five at lunch.

Night-watchman Enamul Haque was a sacrificial lamb and became the second of five dismissals for wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton when he was caught down the leg-side off Roach for 13 in the first half an hour.

The Tigers found scoring difficult against tidy bowling from the Caribbean side and wobbled to 77 for four.

Tamim Iqbal, a century-maker in the opening Test, was caught behind off Dave Bernard Jr and Junaid Siddique was bowled for 7 when he chopped on a delivery from Ryan Austin.

Mohammad Ashraful joined Raqibul and stemmed the fall of wickets, before he cut a short ball from let-arm spinner Ryan Hinds and was caught at backward point for 12, to leave the Tigers on 106 for five.

Shakib and Raqibul stabilized the Bangladeshi innings, but things began to unravel for the visitors after lunch in the face of the Roach onslaught.

Raqibul was struck on his left elbow by a short, lifting delivery from Roach and required the physio.

Two balls later, he wafted at a wide half-volley and was caught behind and two overs later, Shakib was caught at mid-wicket to set Bangladesh back on 157 for seven.

After the break, the Bangladeshis’ frailty against fast bowling was cruelly exposed, when West Indies captain Floyd Reifer turned to Roach and Tino Best, his two fastest bowlers, to hasten the end of the innings.